Mobile communication devices have become an important part of modern life. Originally, many such terminals only offered wireless telephone service (e.g., a cellular telephone). Increasingly, however, such mobile communication devices are being equipped with a wide variety of features, including games, Internet access, e-mail and other types of services and features. One such feature is the ability to receive broadcast programming such as, e.g., music or other audio information. For example, many mobile terminals are now equipped with an AM/FM radio receiver. A mobile terminal user is thereby able to listen to music, news or other conventional broadcast programming with his or her wireless telephone or other type of mobile terminal.
Although this represents an added convenience for a mobile terminal user, new challenges are presented. One such challenge involves recording a portion of a broadcast. For example, a user may hear a song broadcast by an FM radio station and wish to record the song. However, the primary functions of a mobile terminal (e.g., two-way communication) may require that significant portions of its hardware be dedicated to other uses. The terminal may thus have limited memory and other resources to use for recording. As a general rule, it is also desirable to minimize the size of a mobile terminal so as to enhance its portability and convenience. Without increasing the size of the device, it can be difficult to add significant recording ability to the terminal. Moreover, the quality of audio reception by a mobile terminal can be less than that of a more conventional AM/FM radio. While the decreased audio quality may be acceptable when listening to live programming, the recording process may further degrade the audio quality.
Recording a broadcast program presents other challenges that are not necessarily unique to mobile terminals. Often, a person may not wish to record a song or other broadcast until it has already begun. A person may begin listening to a song, and subsequently decide that he or she would like to record it. Although the person could commence recording at that point, he or she would not be able to record the entire song.
In light of these and other challenges, there remains a need for improved systems and methods for recording broadcasts received on a wireless telephone or other mobile communication terminal.